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June 18, 1963 R. J. WAGNER LETTERING TRANSFER DEVICE AND METHOD OF USING SAME Filed Feb. 2, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I I I RoaERr J, BZQG/VEF? INVENTOR.

VLDAJILICILL-- Q,

ATTORNEY June 18, 1963 R. .1. WAGNER LETTERING TRANSFER DEVICE AND METHOD OF USING SAME Filed Feb. 2, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ROBERT J meA/ER INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,094,451 LETTERING TRANSFER DEVICE AND METHOD (PF USING SAME Robert J. Wagner, 1311 Gaviota Ave, Long Beach 13, Calif. Filed Feb. 2, 1960, Ser. No. 6,138 1 Claim. Cl. 156-249) The present invention relates generally to the production of visual advertising material, and more particularly to an apparatus and method of using same in which the letters of the alphabet, single numerals, and other insignia which vary in width are arranged in words and other groupings, with the individual letters, numerals and insignia comprising said words or groupings being arranged in variable, but predetermined spaced relationship.

In many phases of advertising, an emblem, symbol, or other background material may be Widely used by a company to denote its product, and to the extent that it becomes known nationally, Statewide or city-wide, despite the fact that actual distribution of the product is effected through numerous independently owned business organizations. Inasmuch as the emblem, symbol, or other background material is of uniform design, the production thereof involves no serious problems, for by silk screening and other color processes, as well as other well known printing and reproduction techniques such material may be rapidly produced in large quantities in desired sizes. Emblems, symbols and background ma terial of this type are frequently the work of highly skilled artists, and the spacing of the letters in words which may be combined therewith is mechanically perfect, for time is of no consequence in devising the original design from which reproductions are made.

In the highly competitive present-day markets, the individual owner of a business or a distributor of a variety of products is frequently besieged with requests from salesmen of nationally advertised pro-ducts to place their placards on display in such individual business establishments, together with the identifying signs, emblems or symbols thereof, which are normally in the form of decals afixed to the front window or door of these business establishments. While the owner 'of an individual business may be interested in having the products he merchandises vigorously advertised, he oftentimes is limited as to the display areas available on which decals can be mounted and still maintain good taste, and therefore frequently refuses all such requests to display such decals.

However, practically every individual business man is interested in acquainting the general public with the name of the proprietor thereof and the business hours of the store or firm. Therefore, it will be obvious that the sales representative of a company which employs a symbol, emblem or other background material to identify its goods has a far greater chance of obtaining permission to apply same to the door or window of a business estab lishment and trucks or business vehicles, if the symbol, emblem or background material included the name of the individual proprietor.

Although it is theoretically possible for highly skilled artists or technicians to arrange letters to form the name of each individual proprietor, as well as his business hours, and then silk screen this material onto a stock background design, symbol or emblem, yet the cost thereof is prohibitive, even for the largest and most wealthy of corporations. The only alternative prior to concep tion of the present invention was to attempt to center individual letters on the stock background material, symbol or emblem in proper spaced relationship with the same degree of artistic skill. Obviously, any such attempt is doomed to failure insofar as the appearance of the finished product is concerned, for a different name has to 7 3,094,451 Patented June 18, 1963 be centered on each stock piece of background material. In so doing, the spacing of the individual letters forming the name has to be varied and irregular in properly centering same. From experience it has been found that the slight variation in the spacing of the individual letters, numbers or other insignia is not glaringly apparent, due to the perfection of form and the spacing of the background material, symbol, or emblem on which they are positioned.

A major object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of using same by which uni form stock background material in the form of signs, emblems, or symbols can be personalized by the addition of such personalized indicia as the name of the proprietor, business hours thereof, or the like, with the spacing of the letters, numerals and other insignia in the added material following a predetermined pattern that is related to the varying widths thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fast, economical process by means of which personalized Words comprising any sequence of letters may be added to stock decals for mounting on doors, windows, truck bodies and the like, as well as illuminated signs such as for street identification, and to transparent or translucent sheet materials, with the added material having any desired physical characteristic such as high reflective qualities, or brightly colored fluorescent surfaces.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a process that is simple to carry out, requires no independent judgment on the part of the operator, and when correctly performed, provides a personalized sign, emblem or symbol to which other material may be added and spaced with the same precision as on the original from which reproductions of the sign, emblem or symbol are taken.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that is simple in structure, easy to operate, low in cost, and one that positions a series of letters, numbers or other insignia formed of a sheet material in predetermined spaced relationship, depending upon the width of each letter.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a process by which individual decal letters in either single or multiple colors may be quickly and efficiently overlaid on, and atfixed to a stock decal background emblem or symbol to form one or more words, with the background and overlaid material being transferable as an integral unit to a desired surface.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that is simple and easy to use, and permits applicants method to be carried out in a rapid and efiicient manner.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description thereof and from the accompanying drawings illustrating same in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus by means of which a number of decal letters, numerals or other insignia may be affixed in predetermined longitudinally spaced relationship, depending upon the width thereof to an elongate dimensionally stable spacing strip;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIGURE 1 taken on line 22 thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the device taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical crosssectional view of the device taken on line 4--4 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the apparatus taken on line 55 of FIGURE 1 showing the manner in which one of the manually operable space control members is moved to control the spacing of a letter, number or other insignia bearing backing sheet prior to aflixing same to one of said spacing strips;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective View of one of the spacing strips showing a number of decal letter bearing backing sheets which have been affixed thereto in a desired predetermined spacing by use of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary plan view of an end portion of the spacing strip illustrated in FIGURE 6 showing the backing afiixed thereto, with the decal letters thereon being bordered with a second contrasting color;

FIGURE 8 is a transverse cross-sectional view of one of the spacing strips showing the manner in which one of .the decal letter, number or other insignia bearing backing sheets is aflixed thereto, and taken on line 8--8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 diagrammatically illustrates a step in the process in which the decal letters are removed from the backing sheet and affixed temporarily to an elongate transparent or translucent sheet of a non-wettable plastic material;

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a next step in the process in which the spaced decal letters are transferred from the backing sheets on which they were initially mounted to said transparent sheet; and,

FIGURE 11 is a plan view showing the final step of the process wherein the letters are transferred from the transparent plastic sheet and overlaid onto a master decal to become an integral part thereof ready for transfer therewith when the master decal is applied to a surface such as that of a door, window, truck body, or the like.

In the present process of making personalized decals, a number of master decal sheets 10 are provided that have the desired background material imprinted thereon by conventional reproduction methods such as silk screening or the like. Such reproduction methods are well known in the decalcomania art and need not be described herein. Each master decal sheet is personalized by receiving an overlay of individual decalcomania letters, numerals or other insignia that are applied thereto in a predetermined spacing arrangement that takes into account the variations in Width of the individual letters, numerals or other insignia so applied, as shown in FIG- URE 11.

Next, a stock of decal letters, numerals and other insignia are provided, referred to generally hereinafter as insignia 12, which are formed of a Water insoluble film as by silk screening or the like. This stock will include a number of each of the letters in the alphabet, a quantity of numerals one through nine, and a plurality of insignia such as dashes, and the like. Each of the decal insignia 12 are accurately centered on a water permeable backing sheet 14 that is coated with a film of water soluble gum. The backing sheets 14 are rectangular and are carefully cut to a uniform predetermined height, but vary in. width depending upon the width of the insignia 12 mounted thereon.

The portion of the glue 14a above each insignia 12 is moistened as each backing sheet 14 is removably afiixed to a spacing strip 16, as shown in FIGURE 6. Sheets 14 are aifixed to the spacing strip 16 in a predetermined relationship, taking into account the width of the individual letters of the alphabet, the variations in width of the numerals one to nine, as Well as that of other insignia such as a dash or the like. Actual afiixing of the backing sheets 14 to the spacing strip 16 to form desired words comprised of letters or other insignia 12 spaced in a predetermined manner depending upon the width thereof, is accomplished by means of the apparatus shown in FIGURES 1 to 5 inclusive, the detailed mechanical structure and operation of which will be described hereinafter.

After the insignia bearing backing sheets 14 have been affixed to a spacing strip 16 (FIGURE 6), the spacing strip is placed on a flat, preferably downwardly inclined surface and thoroughly moistened with water. After the insignia bearing backing sheets are moistened, to the extent that the gum film 14a is partially dissolved, an elongate strip 18 of a transparent, non-wett-able polymerized resinous material is laid thereover. Thereafter a slight pressure is applied to the strip 18, and the dampened insignia 12 which adhere more strongly to strip 18 than the backing sheets 14 slide therefrom to adhere to strip 18 when it is moved downwardly from the backing sheets, as shown in FIGURE 10.

In FIGURE 10 it will be noted that the individual insignia 12 free of the backing sheets 14 are then removably disposed on strip 18 in the same spaced relationship they occupied when on the backing sheets 14 that were affixed to the spacing strip 16. The moistened indicia 12 adhere to the plastic strip 18 for this reason alone, and are easily transferred to the master decal 10 by simply pressing the strip 18 into contact therewith. The exterior faces of indicia 12 thereon are covered with a film of damp gum that strongly adheres to the face of the master decal with which they have been placed into pressure contact. Water is freely applied to the master decal 10 with which strip 18 is in contact, preferably from a source disposed above strip 18 when the master decal and strip are lying on a downwardly inclined surface (not shown), whereby the water by capillary action seeps between the moistened indicia 12 to free same from strip 18. Thereafter strip 18 is slid downwardly relative to the master decal 10, and due to the adherence of the moistened gum film 14a to the master decal, the insignia 12 remains in place thereon. The overlaid indicia 12, together with the balance of the surface of the master decal 10 to which they are afiixed is coated with a thin film of water soluble glue or adhesive as is common practice in the manufacture of decals.

Thus, insignia 12 are transferred to the master decal 10 and occupy the same longitudinally spaced relationship thereon as when disposed on the backing sheets 14 which were affixed to the spacing strip 16. In this manner a master or stock decal 10 may be rapidly and efficiently transformed into a personalized decal embodying the name of a particular proprietor or other information as an integral part thereof which is adapted to be transferred to a desired surface when the master decal is wetted and applied thereto.

In FIGURE 7 it will be seen that the insignia 12 can be incorporated in a decal in two or more colors. As illustrated in this figure, for instance, the body 12a of the letter R could be black and have a silver border 12!) extending therearound, or any other desired arrangement of contrasting colors.

The affixing of the backing sheets 14 to the spacing strip 16 in a predetermined pattern, depending upon the width of the insignia 12 employed, is easily and quickly canried out by use of the apparatus 20 best seen in FIG- URES 1-5 inclusive. Apparatus 20 preferably takes the form of a desk or table having supporting legs 22. The forward portion of the apparatus is defined by a longitudinally extending guide member 24 on which two laterally spaced parallel rails 26a and 26]; are mounted. One end portion of guide member 24 (FIGURE 1) develops into an upwardly extending vertical wall 30. At substantially the middle of the apparatus, wall 30 terminates in a second rearwardly extending wall 32 which continues rearwardly to join a third wall 34. Wall 34 is parallel to wall 30 and defines the balance of the front of apparatus 20.

A bracket 36 projects outwardly from wall 34 and rigidly supports a horizontal shaft 38. Shaft 38 pivotally supports a first elongate spacing strip gripping member 40 which is rectangular and has a bore (not shown) extending longitudinally therethrough. A second spacing strip gripping member 41 is provided that includes an elongate block 42 having a flat lower surface 44, and

two longitudinally spaced legs 46 of identical shape that are afiixed to the ends of 'block 42* and projectrearward- 1y therefrom. The interior surfaces of legs 46 are disposed adjacent the ends of the first gripping member 40. Longitudinally aligned bores (not shown) are formed in legs 46' through which shaft 38 extends to pivotally support the gripping-member 41thereon.

Block 4-2 is angularly disposedrelative to the horizontal, as may best be seen in FIGURE 2, but terminates in a fiat horizontal upper surface 45. A second longitudinally extending block 4-6 is rigidly affixed to surface 45. Block 46 defines a downwardly andrearwardly extending forward wall surface 48. Alongitudinally extending rigid strip 50 of square or rectangular transverse cross section is rigidly connected to the upper portion of wall surface 48. A pressure bar 52 of rectangular transverse cross section hasthe upper edge surfaces 54 thereof in abutting contact with the under surface 56 of strip 50. Pressure bar 52 and strip 50 are held together by a number of screws 58 or the like. A rigid handle Gil projects upwardly from pressure bar 52.

A tensioned helical spring 62 extends downwardly from strip 50, and. the lower end of this spring is rigidly attached to a downwardly and forwardly positioned leg 64 that projects from the first gripping member 40. The center of gravity of gripping member 40 and second gripping member assembly 41 is situated forwardly of shaft 48,- and due to the force of gravity these gripping members assume theposition shown in FIGURE 2 wherein the lower flat surface 66 of pressure bar 52 rests on an upper fiat surface 68 of a pressure-receiving member '70 affixed to the rear edge of guide member 24, asbest seen in FIGURES 2 and 4.

A stop 72 extends outwardly from the third wall 34 and is situated aslight distance below the lower rear edge surface of the first gripping member 40 (FIGURE 2). Due to the tension thereon, spring 62 at all times tends to pivot the first and second gripping members together as a unit, and to hold one of the spacing strips 16 therebetween, as shown inFIGURES 2, 3 and 4. Be cause of the tension on spring 62, the first and second gripping members 40 and 41 tend to initially pivot in unison when a rearward pressure is applied to the handle 60. However, when the lower rear edge of the first gripping member 40 strikes the stop 72, further rearward pivotal movement of the first gripping member is prevented, but the second gripping member 41 is free to continue pivoting rearwardly until the rear face 46a thereof comes into contact with the forward upper portion 34a of third wall 34 (FIGURE 2). Continued pivotal movement of gripping member 41 after movement of gripping member 4% ceases upon contact with stop 72, permits the surface 44 of the second [gripping member to be separated sufficiently from the upper surface of the first gripping member to allow one of the spacing strips 16 to be slidably inserted therebetween or removed therefrom.

When one of the spacing members 16 is held between gripping members 40 and 41 as shown in FIGURE 2, the forward end portion of the spacing member is situated directly under the face 66of the pressure bar 52, and due to the rigidity of the material forming same, such as cardboard, will normally tend to remain in contact with face 66. It will be particularly noted that during initial rearward rotation of the handle 60 on apparatus 10, the first and second gripping members40 and 41, together with spacing member 16, pivot in unison and the spacing member is raised sufficiently above the pressure-receiving member 70 to permit the upper moistened portion of one of the backing sheets 14 to be disposed on the pressurereceiving surface 68. The upper portion of one of the sheets 14 adheresto the under side of one of the spacing members 16 when it is brought into contact therewith and pressure is applied thereto when disposed on surf-ace 68.

A carriage 74 is provided which includes an elongate first portion 76 that is longitudinally grooved on the under side thereof, or otherwise supplied with means to slidably engage the rearwardly disposed rail 26a. A second carriage portion 78 is also longitudinally grooved on the under side, or otherwise provided with means to slidably engage rail 26b. Both the first and second carriage portions 76 and 78 are generally rectangular in shape, and have parallel, longitudinal edges 76a and 78a, respectively, that are in slidable contact with one another.

A transversely disposed first backing sheet guide Si is afiixed to the right-hand edge of the first carriage portion 76 and extends above the upper surf-ace thereof. Guide 80 projects forwardly from carriage portion 76 a substantial distance, which projecting portion 80a. acts as a stop and is contactable by a portion of the righthand edge of the second carriage portion 78, as seen in FIGURE 3.

A second longitudinally extending backing sheet guide 82 is mounted on the upper surface of first carriage portion 76 by conventional means. The right'hand end of guide 82 abuts against the left-hand edge of first guide 80. The left-hand edge 30b of first guide 86 and the upper edge 82:: of second guide 82 are adapted to abut against thelower edge 14a and right'hand edge 14b, respectively, of one of the backing sheets. Backing sheets 14 are sufficiently high that when thus disposed on the first carriage portion '76, an upper portion 14c of the backing sheet rests on the pressure-receiving surface 63, as shown in FIGURE 4.

A number. of pegs P-1, P-2, P-3, P 3, P-5, P-6 and P 7, or other engageable means, are longitudinally spaced along the upper surface of first carriage portion 76 and afiixed thereto. The reason for the longitudinal spacing of pegs P-1 to P-7 inclusive will be described in detail hereinafter. Second carriage portion '73 has a forwardly disposed, longitudinally. extending first rib 86, as can best be seen in FIGURES 2 and 3. The forward ends of a number of transversely positioned, longitudinally separated, resilient spacing control strips 3-1 to S6 inclusive are rigidly affixed to first rib 86. Strips S-1. to 8-6 are sufficiently long to extend rearwardl y across the second carriage portion 78' beyond the pegs P-l to P-7 inclusive.

A longitudinally extending second rib 88 is afiixed to the upper surface of second carriage portion 78 and is positioned a substantial distance rearwardly from the first rib 86. In FIGURE 2 it will be seen that the rear end portions of strips 5-1 to 5-6 inclusive are disposed above the pegs P-l to P7 inclusive. A third rib 90 extends along the rear longitudinal edge portion of second carriage portion 78', and is substantially shorter in height than second rib 88. When downward manual pressure is applied to the rear portion of one of the strips S1 to S--6 inclusive by a finger 92 of the user (FIGURE 5 the rear end portion of the'strip is bent downwardly, and the strip contacts one of the pegs P1 to P-7 inclusive if the second carriage portion 78 is moved in either direction relative tofirst carriage portion 76.

The second carriage portion 78 is preferably formed with a recess 94that extends downwardly therein from the upper surface located on the right-hand end section thereof as illustrated in FIGURE 3. Recess 94 serves to hold a moistened sponge 96 which is used in dampening the end section of a backing sheet 14, prior to placing same in the position shown in FIGURE 4 where the forward edge section of spacing strip 16 is brought into pressure contact therewith; In FIGURE 3 it will be seen that the first and second carriage portions 76 and 78 may beslidably moved in unison on rails 26a and 26b respectively. Also, if first carriage portion 76 is held stationary, the second carriage portion 78 can be moved to the left. If carriage portion 78 is held stationary, carriage portion 76 can be moved to the right as shown.

The apparatus above described and illustrated in FIG- URES 1-5 inclusive is used to affix a number of backing sheets 14 to the spacing strip 16 so asto project outwardly therefrom. When so affixed, the backing sheets are so spaced that the letters, numbers or other insignia thereon are longitudinally spaced in accordance with a predetermined pattern which compensates for the varying width of the letters, numerals or other insignia.

AfiiXing of the backing sheets 14 to the spacing strip 16 is preceded by first manipulating the handle 60 as previously described to insert one of the spacing strips 16 between first and second gripping members 40 and 41 respectively. The forward longitudinal edge section of spacing strip 16 then moves upwardly and downwardly in abutting contact with face 66 of pressure bar 52 so long as the handle 60 is not pivoted rearwardly to the extent that first gripping member 40 is brought into pressure contact with stop 72.

With one of the spacing strips 16 so held, the first and second carriage portions 76 and 78 are moved in unison until the left-hand edge of first guide 80 is disposed in a position relative to the gripped spacing strip 16 where it is desired to position the right-hand edge 14b of the first backing sheet 14 that is to be affixed thereto. Actually, this positioning is relatively unimportant, other than to ascertain that it is sutficiently far to the left on the gripped spacing strip 16 as to permit all of the backing sheets 14 necessary to form a one-line message to be aflixed thereto.

The first backing sheet 14 illustrated in FIGURE 3 has a letter thereon. Accordingly, the first and second carriage portions 76 and 78 were moved in unison on the rails 26a and 26b to a position where the left-hand edge of finst guide 80 occupies the position that is. now occupied by the right-hand edge of the backing sheet on which the letter R is mounted. The backing sheet 14 hearing the letter R is aflixed to the gripped spacing strip 16 by moistening the upper gummed surface 14c of the backing sheet on the moistened sponge 96, then the handle 60 is pivoted rearwardly slightly to cause the pressure bar 52 and strip 16 to rise slightly, the moistened up- 1 er section is inserted under the raised forward section of strip 16, and handle 60 is thereafter released to permit the spring 62 to pivot the pressure bar 52 forwardly for the lower face 66 thereof to apply pressure to the moistened section 14c of the backing sheet that rests on the upper surface 68, as best seen in FIGURE 4. Backing sheet 14 hearing the letter R is then affixed to the gripped spacing strip 16 and projects outwardly therefrom.

The next backing sheet 14 to be aflixed to the gripped spacing strip 16 bears the letter B. The second carriage portion 78 is held stationary with one hand, the rear section of resilient strip S-3 is pressed downwardly with a finger 92 as shown in FIGURE 5 to bring this rear section below and between pegs P4 and P-4. An elongate identification tab 98 is affixed to the upper surface of first rib 86, with this tab below each of the strips S-1 to S-6 inclusive listing the letters of the alphabet, numerals, and other insignia 12 that will be given the correct spacing when the appropriate one of the resilient strips is pressed downwardly as above described. With strip S-3 pressed downwardly, the first carriage portion 76 is moved to the right relative to the second carriage portion 78 until further movement is prevented by the depressed end section of the strip which is in contact with the peg P3. The left-hand edge 80b of first guide80 would then occupy the position relative to the gripped spacing strip 16 that the right-hand edge of the backing sheet bearing the letter E now occupies. Correct vertical spacing of each backing sheet 14 is achieved by placing the lower edges 14a thereof in abutting contact with the edge 82a of second guide 82.

Pressure on the resilient strip S-3 is then released, and the rear end portion thereof rises to a position above the pegs P-l to P-7 inclusive. Carriage portion 76 is held stationary, and the second carriage 78 moved to the right until further movement thereof is prevented by the righthand end of the second carriage portion when it contacts the forward section 80a of first guide 80, which acts as a stop.

The next backing sheet 14 to be affixed to spacing strip 16 bears the letter D, and the above described operation is repeated to provide the desired spacing between the letters E and D, but the rear end portion of the resilient strip S2 is depressed this time. This process is continued until all the backing sheets 14 necessary to spell out a message in a single line have been affixed to one of the spacing strips 16. The spacing strip 16 having the spaced backing sheets 14 alfixed thereto is removed from the apparatus 20 by pivoting handle 60 rearwardly to the extent that the gripping members 40 and 41 separate, and the backing strip can be removed therefrom.

The structure of apparatus 20 can he augmented by including such accessories as a tray '98 and receptacle as shown in FIGURE 1 which may be used to hold equipment used in the process. In carrying out the process it is most convenient to have a pigeon-hold cabinet structure (not shown) close at hand to apparatus 20 whereby a supply of backing sheets 14 hearing a particular letter, number or other insignia thereon may be stored separately, Also, the apparatus 20 preferably includes an upwardly and rearwardly extending rack 100 to which papers 102 may be clipped on which names, messages, or other information to be reproduced by use of the backing sheets 14 having the letters, numerals or other insignia 12 thereon.

After the backing sheets '14 have been afi'ixed in spaced relationship to the spacing strips 16, the letters, nu-' merals or other insignia 12 are transferred therefrom in this spaced relationship to one of the master decals or other desired surface to personalize same by the process previously described in detail and which need not be repeated herein.

Although my invention is fully capable of achieving the results and providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, it is to be understood that it is merely the presently preferred embodiment thereof, and that I do not mean to be limited to the details of construction above described other than as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

A method of mounting a plurality of insignia in a desired sequence and with desired spacing on a surface, which method comprises:

(a) forming a plurality of said insignia from a thin Water-insoluble film;

(b) mounting each of said insignia on a Water-permeable backing sheet that is coated with a water-soluble (c) moistening a transverse edge portion of each of said backing sheets and adhering the same in said desired sequence and desired spacing to an elongate spacing strip;

(d) laying said backing sheets and spacing strip on a fiat supporting surface with said insignia facing upwardly;

(e) wetting said backing sheets and insignia to the extent that said gum coating is partially dissolved and a layer thereof is adhering to one surface of each of said insignia;

(f) contacting said wet insignia with a strip of a nonwettable polymerized resin -to which said insignia adhere more strongly than to said partially dissolved gum coating;

(g) slida-bly moving said non-Wettable strip transversely away from said backing strip with said insignia adhering thereto in said desired sequence and spacing;

(h) placing said insignia while mounted on said nonwettable strip in contact with said surface;

(i) applying water to said surface which seeps by capillary action between said insignia and said nonwettable strip to free said insignia therefrom; and

(j) transversely moving said non-Wcctable strip away from said surface to separate said insignia from said non-wettable strip, with said insignia remaining on said surface in said sequence and with said spacing due to said partially dissolved layer of gum adhering said insignia thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Babcock Sept. 6, 1932 Engert et a1. Dec. 2, 194 1 Buckingham Jan. 30, 1951 Murphy Feb. 10, 1953 Murphy Feb. 10, 1953 

